GB2319443A - Radio/tv Receiver for hospitals - Google Patents
Radio/tv Receiver for hospitals Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2319443A GB2319443A GB9623686A GB9623686A GB2319443A GB 2319443 A GB2319443 A GB 2319443A GB 9623686 A GB9623686 A GB 9623686A GB 9623686 A GB9623686 A GB 9623686A GB 2319443 A GB2319443 A GB 2319443A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- audio
- signal
- radio
- television
- transmitting means
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N5/00—Details of television systems
- H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
- H04N5/60—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards for the sound signals
Abstract
A combined radio and television signal distribution apparatus comprises a radio signal processing means (5, 6) for receiving radio signals from a radio antenna (2) and inputting radio signals to an audio signal transmitting means (8) to transmit audio signals to user locations. A television processing means (9, 12, 13, 14) receives television signals from a television antenna (3) and inputs the video component of the television signals to video signal transmitting means for transmitting the video signals to user locations. The television signal processing means comprises a first audio remodulation means (12) for remodulating the audio component of television signals to a radio frequency. Audio signal processing means are associated with each user location and comprise audio demodulation means for obtaining an audio output signal from a selected audio signal received from the audio signal transmitting means (8).
Description
COMBINED AUDIO AND TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION
The present invention relates to combined audio and television signal distribution, and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to combined audio and television signal distribution in buildings having large numbers of users, such as hospitals.
The majority of hospitals have some form of radio entertainment service, which is usually a stand alone system using multi-core cable to distribute audio signals to a personal headset allocated to each patient. The radio entertainment service is usually limited to five audio channels on multi-pair systems, or up to sixteen audio channels on some more modern digital systems. In addition, many hospitals are provided with networks of co-axial cable to distribute UHF television signals from a single antenna to a plurality of television sets.
Such existing systems suffer from the limitation that a wide range of radio channels is generally not available, thus making it difficult for radio entertainment services in hospitals to provide the range of radio channels generally available in a non-hospital environment.
In addition, television sound reception is usually only available directly from the loud speaker of a television set (which in an open ward may cause unacceptable noise pollution) or, occasionally, one channel of television sound is available through the radio audio system but is limited to the television channel selected on a single television receiver. Furthermore, the prior art systems referred to above all utilise a complex combination of co-axial and multi-core cables to distribute services. Such arrangements are inconvenient to install and maintain, and are difficult, if not impossible, to update to cope with current radio entertainment demands.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combined radio and television signal distribution apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
radio signal processing means for receiving at least one radio signal from a radio antenna and inputting the or each said radio signal to audio signal transmitting means for transmitting audio signals to at least one audio user location;
television signal processing means for receiving at least one television signal from a television antenna and inputting the video component of the or each said television signal to video signal transmitting means for transmitting video signals to at least one video user location, and comprising first audio remodulation means for remodulating the audio component of the or each said television signal to a radio frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated audio component to said audio signal transmitting means; and
audio signal processing means associated with the or each said audio user location and comprising audio demodulation means for obtaining an audio output signal from a selected audio signal received from said audio signal transmitting means.
By re-modulating the audio component of the or each television signal to a radio frequency and distributing the audio component via the same signal transmitting means as used to distribute radio signals, it is possible to allocate television signal audio components to available radio channels and distribute these to each audio user location. This provides the advantage in a hospital environment of enabling television sound signals to be conveniently distributed to each patient via the same distribution network as radio signals which can then be heard by the patient via personal headphones without causing noise pollution to other patients. This has clear advantages in the case of a number of TV sets being used by individual patients in an open ward, since noise pollution is negated.
In a preferred embodiment, said radio signal processing means comprises filter means for filtering out radio signals below a predetermined signal quality.
The television signal processing means preferably further comprises satellite television receiver means for receiving a-t least one satellite television signal from a satellite television antenna, and video remodulation means for remodulating the video component of the or each said satellite television signal to a UHF frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated video component to said video signal transmitting means.
By re-modulating the video component of the or each satellite television signal to a UHF frequency and distributing the signals to the or each video user location by means of the same signal distribution means as is used for the video component of the non-satellite television signals, this provides the advantage of enabling a larger number of television signals to be distributed by means of an existing network.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises control data transmitting means for transmitting control data from a central processor to the or each said audio user location via said audio signal transmitting means.
This provides the advantage of data identifying, for example, the channel allocated to an audio signal of a particular carrier frequency, to be communicated to the or each audio user location and updated as required.
The control data transmitting means may transmit said control data as tone and phase angle information.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a respective user control unit associated with the or each said audio processing means for enabling control of audio output signals at said audio user location.
The or each said user control unit preferably comprises a respective microprocessor.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises user data transmitting means for transmitting user data to a central station via said audio signal transmitting means.
This enables information from each audio user location to be provided to enable system performance to be monitored and status of each audio processing means to be checked.
The apparatus is preferably adapted to be installed in a hospital and a respective nurse call means is controlled by the or each said user control unit.
This provides the advantage of enabling the audio channels to be selected and the nurse call means to be actuated by means of a single patient's handset.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a combined radio and television signal distribution system, the system comprising an apparatus as defined above, a said audio signal transmitting means and a said video signal transmitting means, wherein said audio and video signal transmitting means are constituted by the same electrical conductor network.
This provides the advantage in environments such as hospitals, which are often already provided with extensive coaxial cable networks for distribution of television signals, that the existing network can be conveniently upgraded to provide a wide range of television and radio services.
The electrical conductor network may comprise a coaxial cable network.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of upgrading an audio and/or video signal distribution system to provide a combined radio and television signal distribution system, the method comprising:
transmitting one or more radio signals received from a radio antenna to one or more audio user locations by means of an existing audio signal transmitting means;
remodulating the audio component of at least one television signal received from a television antenna to a radio frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated audio component to the audio signal transmitting means;
inputting the video component of the or each said television signal to an existing video signal transmitting means; and
obtaining, at the or each said audio user location, an audio signal from a selected signal received from said audio signal transmitting means.
In this way, an existing network can be upgraded to provide a much wider range of radio and television services, but at considerably reduced cost in comparison with the cost of replacement of the existing system with an entirely new signal distribution network.
The method preferably further comprises the step of remodulating the video component of at least one satellite television signal to a UHF frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated video component to said video signal transmitting means.
The method preferably further comprises the step of transmitting control data from a central station to the or each said audio user location via said audio signal transmitting means.
In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of transmitting user data from the or each said audio user location to a central station by means of said audio signal transmitting means.
As an aid to understanding the invention, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a combined television and radio signal processing apparatus, and a data processing unit for use in a combined radio and television signal distribution apparatus embodying the present invention; and
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a bed head terminal for use with the apparatus of Figure 1.
Referring in detail to Figure 1, an analogue processing unit 1 receives radio signals from an FM antenna 2, off air television signals from a UHF antenna 3, and satellite television signals from a satellite dish 4. This will typically provide up to 18 television channels.
Signals received from the FM antenna 2, typically having a frequency of 88MHz to 108MHz are input to an FM filter unit 5 which identifies and filters out FM transmissions below a predetermined signal quality threshold. All radio signals within the FM band and having acceptable signal quality are then input to an FM amplifier 6, the output of which is connected via a diplexer 7 to a co-axial signal distribution network 8.
The UHF antenna 3 inputs off air TV transmission signals in the UHF band, typically having frequency 470MHz to 860MHz, to a UHF splitter 9 which provides UHF signals of equal amplitude on output leads 10, 11. The signal on lead 10 is input to a UHF television receiver 12 which detects the audio component of each television signal and inputs the audio components into a first FM modulator 13. The FM modulator 13 remodulates each audio component to an available FM frequency within the FM band and inputs the remodulated audio component into the FM amplifier 6.
The UHF signal on lead 11 is input to a UHF amplifier 14, the output of which is input to co-axial network 8 via diplexer 7. The satellite dish 4 receives satellite television signals, typically having a frequency much higher than the UHF band, and remodulates the satellite television signals to a satellite intermediate frequency lower than that of the incoming satellite TV signal in order to minimise resistive power losses in the conductive leads to the analogue processor 1, and inputs the remodulated signals via lead 15 to a satellite receiver 16.
The satellite receiver 16 detects the audio component of each satellite television signal and inputs the audio components to a second FM modulator 17 which remodulates each audio signal onto an available FM frequency within the FM band and inputs the remodulated signal to the FM amplifier 6.
The other output of the satellite receiver 16 is input to a UHF modulator 18 which remodulates each satellite television signal to an available frequency in the UHF band, and the remodulated signals are input to the UHF amplifier 14. The outputs of FM amplifier 6 and UHF amplifier 14 are input to the co-axial network 8 via diplexer 7, from which it can be seen that television and radio signals are carried by the same network 8. The diplexer 7, as will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, serves to enable signals to the input to the co-axial network 8 without causing unwanted impedance changes, which may otherwise cause unwanted reflection of signals.
A data processing apparatus 19 is also connected to the network 8 by means of an input / output data filter 20.
Control data, such as the channel number allocated to each transmitted audio component is input by means of a conventional keyboard and display unit 21 to a central processor 22 of the data processing apparatus 19.
The central processor 22 comprises a micro-processor 23 for receiving and processing output signals from the keyboard and display unit 21, and an output of the micro-processor 23 is connected via a phase angle generator 24 and a tone generator 25 to an input of a low frequency amplifier 26, the output of which is connected to the input / output data filter 20. In this way, the central processor 23 provides data in the form of phase modulated tone signals which are then also distributed via the co-axial network 8.
The input / output data filter 20 is also connected to an input of a further low frequency amplifier 27, the output of which is connected via a phase locked loop 28 and phase angle detector 29 to an input of the micro-processor 23 of the central processor 22. This provides a reverse path to enable data transmitted via the co-axial network 8 to be sent back to the micro-processor 23, and the function of the reverse path will be described in detail below.
Referring in detail to Figure 2, a bed head terminal 30 is provided adjacent each patient's bed in a ward and is generally in the form of a printed circuit board located within the enclosure or trunking provided adjacent to each bed. The bed head terminal 30 includes a bed head terminal processor 43 (the function of which is described in detail below) which is connected to the co-axial network 8 via an input / output data filter 31. A diplexer 32 is also connected to the network 8 and outputs audio signals in the FM frequency band on output lead 33 and video signals in the UHF frequency band on output lead 34. It will be appreciated that the diplexer 32 operates in a similar manner to diplexer 7 shown in Figure 1, i.e. to enable signals to be derived from the network 8 without causing unwanted impedance changes.
The UHF signals on lead 34 are output via a UHF TV outlet 35 to one or more television receivers 36, which may be a single television set in a communal area such as an open ward or a day room, or an individual television set located adjacent to a patient's bed.
The signals in the FM band on lead 33 are input to an FM mixer 37 of an FM detector 38. The detector 38 also comprises a phase locked loop oscillator 39 connected to the mixer 37 for selecting an audio signal having a particular FM frequency, and the output of the mixer 37 is input to a discriminator 40 which detects the audio signal modulated onto the FM carrier signal.
The output of discriminator 40 passes via audio amplifier 41 to headphones 42 which, in a hospital environment, will typically be of the stethoscope type.
The bed head terminal 30 includes a bed head terminal processor 43 having an individual microprocessor 44 connected via programme / frequency memory 45 to the phase locked loop oscillator 39 of FM detector 38. An input of microprocessor 44 is connected via phase angle detector 46 and phase locked loop 47 to an output of the input / output data filter 31, and an output of the microprocessor 44 is connected via phase angle generator 48 and tone generator 49 to an input of a low frequency amplifier 50, the output of which is connected to the input / output data filter 31. The bed head terminal processor 43 is thus able to transmit data to and receive data from the data processing unit 19 of Figure 1 in a manner similar to that of the central processor 22 of the data processing unit 19.
The micro-processor 44 is also connected to a patient hand set 51, a patient's bed light control system 52 comprising a bed light 53 and a bed light sub system interface 54, and to a nurse call system 55 comprising a nurse call alarm unit 56 and a nurse call console 57 connected to the micro-processor via a nurse call subsystem interface 58.
The system described above may be designed to pass low frequency data along the network 8 in both directions with minimal attenuation, and passive components may also carry DC power to enable all terminals within a secondary network (for example a single ward) to be powered from a single power supply.
The operation of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 will now be described.
The patient's hand set 51 will have control keys relating to functions typically including nurse call, audio level up / down, audio programme select up / down and overhead light on and / or low, and the bed head terminal processor 43 interprets each key press function. For example, the channel / frequency information is interpreted by means of data stored in the programme / frequency memory 45. The necessary data is input via co-axial network 8 into memory 45 by means of phase locked loop 47 and phase angle detector 46 which demodulate the information modulated onto the network 8 by phase angle generator 24 and tone generator 25 of the data processing apparatus 19. This enables a predetermined key press of the hand set 51 to control the phase locked loop oscillator 39 of the FM detector 38 to input a selected FM frequency signal into discriminator 40 to select a particular audio output signal, which may be an FM radio transmission or the audio component of a television signal, the video component of which is displayed by television receiver 36. The hand set 51 can also be used to control, via micro-processor 44, the overhead light 52 and the nurse call system 53.
In addition, the data stored in programme/frequency memory 45 can be changed and/or updated as required over the network 8 from the central processor 22 of the data processing unit 19. The microprocessor 44 of each bed head processor 43 can be individually addressed by means of identification codes unique to that microprocessor 44.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the system is sufficiently flexible that additional control features can be programmed, via keyboard and display unit 21 and micro-processor 23, into the bed head terminal processor 43 accompanying each patient hand set 51.
In addition, system performance and terminal status can be monitored from a remote station, such as the keyboard and display unit 21, by receiving data output from the microprocessor 44 of each bed head terminal processor 43, via phase angle generator 48 and tone generator 49, which modulates data in the same manner as phase angle generator 24 and tone generator 25 of the data processing apparatus 19, via low frequency amplifier 15 and co-axial network 8. This data is received via input / output data filter 20 at the data processing apparatus 19 and is input via low frequency amplifier 27, phase locked loop 28 and phase angle detector 29 to the micro-processor 23.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims (18)
1. A combined radio and television signal distribution apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
radio signal processing means for receiving at least one radio signal from a radio antenna and inputting the or each said radio signal to audio signal transmitting means for transmitting audio signals to at least one audio user location;
television signal processing means for receiving at least one television signal from a television antenna and inputting the video component of the or each said television signal to video signal transmitting means for transmitting video signals to at least one video user location, and comprising first audio remodulation means for remodulating the audio component of the or each said television signal to a radio frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated audio component to said audio signal transmitting means; and
audio signal processing means associated with the or each said audio user location and comprising audio demodulation means for obtaining an audio output signal from a selected audio signal received from said audio signal transmitting means.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio signal processing means comprises filter means for filtering out radio signals below a predetermined signal quality.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said television signal processing means further comprises satellite television receiver means for receiving at least one satellite television signal from a satellite television antenna, and video remodulation means for remodulating the video component of the or each said satellite television signal to a UHF frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated video component to said video signal transmitting means.
4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising control data transmitting means for transmitting control data from a central processor to the or each said audio user location via said audio signal transmitting means.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control data transmitting means transmits said control data as tone and phase angle information.
6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a respective user control unit associated with the or each said audio processing means for enabling control of audio output signals at said audio user location.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the or each said user control unit comprises a respective microprocessor.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising user data transmitting means for transmitting user data to a central station via said audio signal transmitting means.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be installed in a hospital and a respective nurse call means is controlled by the or each said user control unit.
10. A combined radio and television signal distribution system, the system comprising an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, a said audio signal transmitting means and a said video signal transmitting means, wherein said audio and video signal transmitting means are constituted by the same electrical conductor network.
11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said electrical conductor network comprises a coaxial cable network.
12. A method of upgrading an audio and/or video signal distribution system to provide a combined radio and television signal distribution system, the method comprising:
transmitting one or more radio signals received from a radio antenna to one or more audio user locations by means of an existing audio signal transmitting means;
remodulating the audio component of at least one television signal received from a television antenna to a radio frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated audio component to the audio signal transmitting means;
inputting the video component of the or each said television signal to an existing video signal transmitting means; and
obtaining, at the or each said audio user location, an audio signal from a selected signal received from said audio signal transmitting means.
13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of remodulating the video component of at least one satellite television signal to a UHF frequency and inputting the or each said remodulated video component to said video signal transmitting means.
14. A method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising the step of transmitting control data from a central station to the or each said audio user location via said audio signal transmitting means.
15. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising the step of transmitting user data from the or each said audio user location to a central station by means of said audio signal transmitting means.
16. A combined radio and television signal distribution apparatus, the apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
17. A combined radio and television signal distribution system, the system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
18. A method of upgrading a radio frequency signal distribution system to provide a combined radio and television signal distribution system, the method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9623686A GB2319443B (en) | 1996-11-14 | 1996-11-14 | Combined audio and television distribution |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9623686A GB2319443B (en) | 1996-11-14 | 1996-11-14 | Combined audio and television distribution |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9623686D0 GB9623686D0 (en) | 1997-01-08 |
| GB2319443A true GB2319443A (en) | 1998-05-20 |
| GB2319443B GB2319443B (en) | 2001-08-15 |
Family
ID=10802917
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9623686A Expired - Fee Related GB2319443B (en) | 1996-11-14 | 1996-11-14 | Combined audio and television distribution |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2319443B (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2330286B (en) * | 1997-06-27 | 2002-03-13 | Worldpipe Ltd | Communication apparatus |
| GB2384412A (en) * | 2001-10-12 | 2003-07-23 | Vortex Comm Ltd | Entertainment and information supply system, e.g. for hospitals |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1417599A (en) * | 1972-07-10 | 1975-12-10 | Zettler Elektrotechn Alois | Hospital telecommunication system zig-zag folding apparatus |
-
1996
- 1996-11-14 GB GB9623686A patent/GB2319443B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1417599A (en) * | 1972-07-10 | 1975-12-10 | Zettler Elektrotechn Alois | Hospital telecommunication system zig-zag folding apparatus |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2330286B (en) * | 1997-06-27 | 2002-03-13 | Worldpipe Ltd | Communication apparatus |
| GB2384412A (en) * | 2001-10-12 | 2003-07-23 | Vortex Comm Ltd | Entertainment and information supply system, e.g. for hospitals |
| GB2384412B (en) * | 2001-10-12 | 2006-04-12 | Vortex Comm Ltd | Information supply system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2319443B (en) | 2001-08-15 |
| GB9623686D0 (en) | 1997-01-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |